CO129-317 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [4-6] — Page 549

From:

Commandant Hong Kong Volunteer Corps.

To:

Chief Staff Officer

South China.

30 JUL 03.

Volunteer Head Quarters

May 25th 1905

542

sir,

I have the honour to return herewith the attached

correspondence from the Colonial Defence Committee. I have

carefully considered the various points mantioned.

2. In view of the fact that the Commiittee emphatically

state that additional infantry, trained specially te machine

gun work, is more valuable in the defence of the Colony than

additional Garrisen Artillery, it would appear that it is

necessary te again reorganize the Corps.

3.

In my report fer 1902-3 I have fully stated the great

difficulties in the way of training Volunteers in Heng Keng

in the service of guns in the fixed armament, although I

have always concurred with His Excellency the General Officer

Commanding and the officer Commanding Reyal Artillery in the

great importance they attach to this work. The members of

the Corps have taken up the work in spite of the difficulties

and done their best, but there is no doubt that purely frem

a question of popularity they naturally prefer the lighter

work entailed by drilling with light machine guns.

4.

The decision of the Colonial Defnce Committee is that

⚫ne Company should be kept to work with the fixed armament

and that the other should be reorganized.

5.